Champaign, IL – The Champaign Park District is proud to welcome acclaimed singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakam with guest Brandy Clark for a live concert at the historic Virginia Theatre, 203 West Park Avenue, Champaign, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, from 7:30 P.M. (doors open at 6:30 P.M.). Reserved seating tickets are $49.50 to $125 and go on sale Friday, January 26, 2018 at 10 A.M. at the Virginia Theatre Box Office, online at www.thevirginia.org, or charge by phone at 217-356-9063. Presented by Exceptional Artists in partnership with the Champaign Park District. The Virginia Theatre’s 2017-2018 season sponsors are The News-Gazette, WILL–Illinois Public Media, and WCIA-TV.

Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and is a 21-time nominated, multiple GRAMMY Award winner. He has 12 gold albums and 9 platinum or multi-platinum albums, with five of those albums topping Billboard’s Country Albums chart, and another 14 landing in the Top 10. Nearly 40 of Yoakam’s singles have charted, with 14 peaking in the Top 10. He received the Artist of the Year award at the 2013 Americana Music Honors & Awards ceremony, the most prestigious award offered by the organization.

In September of 2016, Yoakam released his first ever bluegrass album, ‘Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…’, on Sugar Hill Records. Featuring a band of bluegrass luminaries, the album boasts a collection of reinterpreted favorites from his catalogue, as well as a cover of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’. Produced by ninetime GRAMMY winner Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton), Jon Randall (songwriter of ‘Whiskey Lullaby’), and Yoakam himself, this album reflects the love for bluegrass music that Yoakam developed at an early age in Kentucky, and that has inspired him for many years thereafter.

In addition to his musical career, Yoakam is a formidable film and television actor, capable of seamlessly melting into his roles, and impressively standing toe-to-toe with some of the world’s top thespians over the course of his storied and successful acting career, including Jodie Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, Jared Leto, Forest Whitaker, and Matthew McConaughey.

Brandy Clark
Brandy Clark is a country music singer-songwriter and a six-time career GRAMMY nominee. Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves. In 2012, she opened shows for Grammy Award-winning artist Sheryl Crow. Brandy found an advocate in country artist Marty Stuart when on Saturday December 8, 2012, she joined him to make her Grand Ole Opry debut when she played his Grand Ole Opry Anniversary celebration and also at his Late Night Jam at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. At the beginning of 2013 Brandy was chosen by CMT as one of the “Women of Country”, a year-long promotion featuring up and coming artists. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

The Virginia Theatre is an historic performing arts center and movie palace located in Champaign, Illinois. Owned and operated by the Champaign Park District, the Virginia has been providing entertainment to the community since 1921.